Phuket Part III

Patong Beach

Phuket's busiest resort area, Patong has the greatest concentration of bars, restaurants and shops on the island.

Patong has suffered a lot of negative publicity in recent years to be over-developed and its hedonistic party scene. However, most visitors to Phuket still choose to spend their time in Patong and for good reason. Patong has much to offer and despite its reputation for naughty nightlife, Patong is also very popular with families.The 3 km long beach still has the beautiful white sand and clear water, which is now visibly clearer after the tsunami. The chairs and umbrellas are now back in full force, providing an ideal place to relax and enjoy the sun with all the amenities you could want nearby. You'll find everything you need for your vacation. There are many shops and stalls, and other leisure and recreational activities. However, if you are looking for a retreat at the beach, you probably will not find it in Patong.

Patong is where you will find the most varied choice of hotels in Phuket. Somewhere out there for every budget. Guesthouses cheap and easy to style complex of four and five stars, and everything else. There are even a few hotels on the beach. You can choose to stay near the nightlife or stay later. The beauty of staying in Patong, is that everything is just a short walk or tuk-tuk ride away.Patong is the busiest beach of the island and you will never be short of something to do here. If you like water sports, then this is the place. There are jet skiing, water skiing, windsurfing, sailing, parasailing.You can snorkel on the reef at the southern end of the bay or take a ride to the beach long tail boat to freedom best coral viewing. Further inland, you can try bungee jumping, go bowling or go through the hills in Kathu for a spot of carting. If you feel calmer, rent a beach for the day, slap on plenty of sunscreen and watch the show while you enjoy the rays. The sea is generally calm throughout the year and the deep seabed shelves gently makingit quite safe to swim in. For even more relaxation, there are usually many close masseuses who give massages on the beach (it quite good for me and you ^^). Patong is undoubtedly the center of the island's night scene. Bars in Patong can be roughly divided into beer bars, go-go bars and regular (ones that have not to go). The scene is centered around Patong Bangla Road and its many ramifications. The road is perpendicular to the beach road towards the northern end of Patong. Bangla is only about half a kilometer and is pedestrian in the evening making it easy to walk around and bar hop.

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Phuket Part II

Phuket City

Phuket Town is well worth taking the time to the beach for its shops and markets, its Sino-Portuguese buildings, temples and many restaurants.

Most visitors to Phuket head straight for the beach and rightly so, but if you want to take a break in the sand and catch a glance of a more "real" part of the island, then Phuket City has much to offer. Phuket town is about 30 minutes drive from Patong and is easily accessible by songthaew (beach-bus) or tuk tuk if you do not have your own transportation.

Administrative center of Phuket that was recently awarded city status and is still commonly referred to Phuket Town, even on billboards. As living, breathing city of Thailand, it is not specially designed for tourists than other areas of the island. However, if you're willing to make the effort there are some delicious ways to spend your time.

You can get an overview of the history of the island by taking a walk along the roads Dibuk, Thalang and Krabi in the "old town". Here you can see many beautiful colonial mansions built in the Sino-Portuguese style by Chinese tin barons (see the history of Phuket) over a century ago.

In this area, there are also plenty of shops decorated houses which are built in the same style as those found in coastal cities throughout the Malay Peninsula. These old buildings were in danger of being demolished, but their historical value was recognized, and many have been restored.

While you are in this area, visiting some of Chinese shrines of the city, such as Jui Tui and Put Jaw which are just off Ranong road (near the fresh market).

For a magnificent view of the city, the jungle and the sea, go to the top of Khao Rang, a hill on the northwest edge of town. You'll find a couple of good restaurants where you can enjoy the view with a nice meal and a bronze statue of Phraya Ratsada Nupradit (also known as Ratsada Korsimbi Na Ranong ), a famous governor of Phuket.

Other attractions include: The Phuket Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, located near Tesco Lotus supermarket in Sam Kong district, the Phuket Orchid Garden and Thai Village, also in Sam Kong, which has cultural performances, including folk dances, Thai boxing and elephant shows.

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Credit : Picture from Phuket.net

Phuket Part I

History of Phuket

 

Early History

Located on the trade routes between India and China, Phuket has been subjected to foreign influences long before many other parts of Thailand. Ships would anchor in the safe harbors of Phuket and wait for the monsoon winds of the northeast that would allow them to proceed to India.

The interior jungle was inhabited by indigenous tribes until they were displaced in the 19th century by tin miners. Coastal areas were inhabited by Chao Leh, sea gypsies who made their living through piracy and fishing for pearls. Although threatened by development, Chao Leh villages can still be found along the coast of Phuket and neighboring islands.

Phuket first became part of a Thai state during the thirteenth century when Thai armies from Sukhothai wrestled control of the island from the Sirivijaya Empire based in Sumatra.

The Battle of Thalang

The most famous moment in the history of Phuket, is when the people of Phuket (then called Thalang), drove out the Burmese invaders who were besieging the island.

In 1785, Phuket was attacked by the Burmese as part of a larger campaign to invade Thailand (then called Siam). The governor's wife, recently deceased, Lady Chan, with his sister Lady Muk, rallied the people and broke the siege in Burma.

Hearing these acts of valor, the king gave honorary titles of these two heroines. Today, their statues can be seen on top of a monument at the roundabout a few kilometers north of Phuket town.

Origin of the Name “Phuket”

The name Phuket is derived from the Malay word bukit, meaning hill. The island was formerly known as Junk Ceylon on European maps, a corruption of Malaysia Tanjung Salang meaning Cape Salang. He later became known as Thalang, named after the main town of the island. The island does not come to be known as Phuket until very late in its history, when the administrative center was moved to a mining town in the center of the island called Phuket.

Tourism

Tourism on the island began in the 1970s with the first beach bungalows at Patong beach. Meanwhile, Phuket was a haven for backpackers. Phuket idyllic beaches and clear warm waters attracted travelers from around the world to the island. This was facilitated by the construction of an airport in the 1970s.

Today, tourism is by far the largest industry of the island with more than 3 million tourists who visit the island annually, making Phuket one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia.

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South Pattaya or Pattaya Tai (พัทยาใต้)

South Pattaya

South Pattaya is not the most southern part of Pattaya as its name implies, but is near the southern end of Pattaya Beach. It extends inland to the north and south of South Pattaya Rd. Buddha Hill headland and Jomtien are further south, but they are not included in South Pattaya. This area includes Pattayaland and Walking Street. Despite the fact that there is only one sandy beach for swimming in South Pattaya, the region has a myriad of leisure activities and entertainment to offer tourists along its 500 meters long pedestrian street that is the main tourist area. There are shops, restaurants, bars, discotheques and nightclubs open until very late at night.

Attractions

Wang Sam Sien

Wang Sam Sien is in a green surrounding with a panoramic view of Pattaya City. It is a house with a large statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva is located in the middle of the pool. The premise has other sculptures and miniatures of significant figures and in Chinese history.

Phra Tamnak Hill (Khao Pattaya)

Phra Tumnak Hill is located at the border of South Pattaya and Jomtien. The top of the hill is one of the best views overlooking the bay of Pattaya growing. It is a popular place amongst tourists, especially at sunset and at night when the city was illuminated. Wat Khao Phra Bat, Monument Krom Luang Chomphon Khet Udomsak, the founding father of modern Thai Navy, Phra Phut Sukhothai Cholatan, Buddha image in Subduing Mara and gesture Thai Navy radio station are also located on the hill. At the foot of the hill, there is a public park. TAT office is also located nearby.

Pattaya Floating Market

 The4 regions floating market is increasingly popular among tourists. There is a set of Thai-style houses built in different regional architecture located in the middle of a large pond. The pond water lanes and a few small wooden bridges that allows visitors to walk around and buy products from all four regions of Thailand. The market also offers a boat service for those who want to sit, cruising along and experience traditional Thai way of life. In many types of foods are available in these houses at reasonable prices. Furthermore, it is an adventure sling activitiy that you can hook a sling themselve in the lane of water. Woodcarving museum is located in the market. At the door of the market, Thai house with a replica of Lord Ganesh carved into the wood for those who would worship. There are also Thai cultural performances including traditional dances and sea boxing show.

Wat Khao Phra Bat

Wat Khao Phra Bat or Wat Khao Phratamnak is located on Khao Phratamnak. It lies opposite to the viewpoint on the hill. There is a imitation of the Buddha's footprint, Buddha images of the Day and beautiful mondop. The Monument of the Father of modern Thai Navy, Krom Luang Chumphon Khet Udomsak is within a short walk.